Four out of ten people who die prematurely are killed by cancer, new figures show.

Four in ten people who die prematurely are killed by cancer (Picture: Alamy)

Almost 76,000 Britons aged 25 to 74 fall victim to the disease each year â more than those killed by stroke, heart disease or Aids.

The figure is also higher than the number of people who commit suicide, are murdered or die in road accidents.

Lung cancer is the biggest killer among all age groups, causing about 35,000 deaths a year. A further 28,000 die from heart disease and 17,000 from respiratory diseases. Bowel cancer and breast cancer are the next two biggest killers.

Despite the findings, health experts said the cancer death rate had âfallen dramaticallyâ over the last 40 years.

Prof Peter Johnson, chief clinician at Cancer Research UK, which published the figures, said: âWe have had great success in reducing the death rate from many types of cancer. But too many people are still dying from this devastating disease and we have much more work to do.â

Dr Julie Sharp, his colleague, added: âCancer is the disease that kills more people than any other major illness.

âWe must ensure that it becomes a disease people live with, rather than die from, irrespective of the type of cancer or their age.â